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Sunday, April 06, 2008

Opinion: Forty years after his death, how is Dr. King still impacting our lives today? He was so in tune with reality. What would he say today?

He was tired, sick and running a fever. He wasn't planning to go, but his advisors asked him to go anyway. This is part of the short remarks he agreed to give after Ralph Abernathy agreed to give the speech. That speech turned into a great introduction of Dr. King. Abernathy is the person who "cathces" King after the speech.

20 comments:

Dr. King is impacting our lives yet today with the acts and movements put into action because of his efforts with the Civil Rights Movement. Because of his drive for equality African Americans all over the United States share the same freedoms guaranteed to them in the constituion, and some that were not allowed them in the Constitution were amended into it. If Dr. King were alive today I think that he would say that today is giants steps have been taken towards equality all over the United States, but that there is always room for improvement and that his job is not done. And that he will continue on with his actions for the Civil Rights Movement.

If Dr. King was alive today, he would be doing real work with the type of racial injustice that is found today. Let's all face it, our nation's inner cities are poor minorities. This is all a result of the Unites States' racist past and this is the racial divide that our country is currently facing. We now have black students performing at severe lows on state test scores and Wisconsin is the state with the lowest scores in writing for black students. How can we say we have all have an equal opportunity to succeed if clearly we don't. Minorites are mostly poor and thus have little opportunity to make a change in their lives. We have the "War on Drugs" that is pushed into their neigborhoods and suburbanites simply say that it's their problem. Our generation can make a change by volunteering at after school programs, homeless shelters, etc. and stop building new subdivisions further away from the city. Dr. King was a real fighter and a real uniter, we don't have to wait for Barack Obama to get into office to make a change because we can do it now.

Dr.King impacts our lives everyday through the aftereffects of his championing of the civil rights movement. He was the main catalyst for the movement and I would not like to imagine America without the civil rights he helped earn.

I'm not sure what Dr.King would say, but I think he would be saddened by how divided we are as a country. I think he would be disgusted by our nation's sensationalism with violence, materialism, and preoccupation with fluff news.

Dr.King impacts our lives everyday through the aftereffects of his championing of the civil rights movement. He was the main catalyst for the movement and I would not like to imagine America without the civil rights he helped earn.

I'm not sure what Dr.King would say, but I think he would be saddened by how divided we are as a country. I think he would be disgusted by our nation's sensationalism with violence, materialism, and preoccupation with fluff news.

Vlad pretty much covered what I wanted to say, but I'll see if I can add anything new.

I think Dr. King is still impacting people today because he showed us that it is possible for one person to make a huge difference in the world. I don't know if Dr. King would be happy with the way things are today. Open racism is no longer acceptable (something I don't think was true during Dr. King's time) and legally there's no reason for African Americans to be treated any different from anyone else. However, racism is still a big problem in our society and a lot of people are in the same mindset that they were in during Dr. King's time. As Vlad said, we still have a lot of work to do.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. impacts our lives still today, forty years after his death. He is the face my generation associates with the civil rights movement. It would be impossible to study the civil movement without coming across his name often. He set the bar on leadership and organized an entire people that desired the same things he did.

Today, I think he would still be carrying the same message. He would be fighting for the just treatment of all people. I don't think he would find the state of inner cities acceptable as Vlad mentioned, but I would imagine his message would spread to other nations, even other continents as well. He would be speaking for the oppressed and those minorities that have been kept quiet.

He is still impacting our lives through the work he put in during the Civil Rights Movement and we are lucky to have had his influence during that time period. His “I Have a Dream” speech is still inspirational today and many people find comfort in it. If he were still alive today I think he would still fight for those who need a voice and champion of their cause and he would keep inspiring the nation with his hope for future equality.

Dr. King would definately be promoting inner city education if he was here today. I feel that he would probably be promoting peace to some extent. I can't really picture him sitting around during a war that many people feel is unjustified and him not doing anything about it.

I think Vlad covered a lot of what I was going to say. I think if Dr. King was here today he would be proud of the progress that was made after his death but disappointed with the inherent lack of equality some black people still face. I think he would be ashamed with the stereotypes people associate with black people and the fact that such little progress is being made in bringing minorities out of poverty and the problems that come with it.

Dr. King left behind a revolution that is lived long and strong since in death. He understood that change is what our nation needs and will always need. His inspiration that he left in us can be seen throughout the country. One area in particular would be Barack Obabma's campaign. Obama's slogan of change is the same slogan Dr. King had preached decades past.

If Dr. King were alive today, he would say that he cannot progress forward without fixing what is at fault in the present. Racism, illegal aliens, the war on terror, these would all be things he'd work his hardest to help us overcome and move on. In my opinion, Dr. King's presence in our nation would only bring a positive reaction.

Now-a-days, he would point out the differences still. Minorities today are still aren't given the same chances that white people are. He would probably call for more things to make the difference between minorities and whites diminish.

I'm guessing he would be having discussions with Al Sharpton, who seems to always fight for rights. Overall I believe that King would take note of the progress made, but still find things that still need improvement.

I believe that Dr. King's message is still applicable to issues we have today. Like Vlad said, we still are faced with racial inequality in many of our inner cities. If we are going to continue Dr. King's message, I believe we need to take some steps to resolving these issue. Small steps like volunteering at homeless shelter, soup kitchen, or even making donations are ways in which we can help out and reach others on a small scale. On another note, I think that if Dr. King were alive today to see the 2008 presidential race, he might be a little disappointed. Some people today still base their decision of a candidate based on the color of their skin and not the content of their character. I think that this is an obstacle that our country will need to overcome.

Without Dr. Kind, I feel as though we would not be as far as we are today with the amount of equality we do have compared to the amount of racism. Unfortunately, just as all leaders with a dream of peace among the people, Dr. King's life was cut short. If he would have been able to live is life all of the way out, I'm sure society would be further ahead in racial equality.

I believe Dr. King would be both proud and ashamed. He of course would be proud that the advancement of African Americans has taken place. However, I believe Dr. King would be disappointmed to see that inner cities are the way they are. Dr. Bill Cosby stated, ""In the neighborhood that most of us grew up in, parenting is not going on," he said. "They're buying things for the kid—$500 sneakers. For what? They won't buy or spend $250 on Hooked on Phonics." Heavily criticized, Dr. Cosby has a valid point. I personally believe if Dr. King was still around today, he would agree with Dr. Cosby and do something about it.

I believe Dr. King impacts our lives today by promoting the kind of inspiration that can move mountains. We remember him for the differences he made without violence. We remember him for the words he spoke without hesitating. He had wisdom and logic and a kind, good soul. He showed us humility, perserverence, and how to protest and disagree with dignity. Today, comparing Barack Obama with Dr. King shows that his influence has spanned decades, and the inspiration he once provided can be captured in another person to promote hope, equality, and strength for this nation.

Today, he would say that we still have mountains to move. We have come a long way but still have many more obstacles to overcome. We have found the right direction, but we have to proceed with valor. I believe he would continue to inspire the nation to be peaceful, tolerant, and honest. He would say, there is still much to be done. I believe he would have never stopped fighting for the underdog. If Dr. King were still alive, his voice would be heard around the world and maybe then, the power of love could overcome the love of power.

Dr. King still impacts our lives today because the face in a sort of way for civil rights and still inspires many people to continue fighting for equal rights in America. All students learn about Dr. King and I have to believe that after hearing his speech and learning of his assassination that it must inspire people, especially oppressed ones to fight for their rights. Dr. King I believe would still lead the fight for civil rights while maybe not the right to vote but things more like affirmative action and punishing those who do not offer equal jobs or housing.

Forty years after his death, Dr. King is still impacting the lives of many of today's youth. The brief life that Dr. King had will with stand the test of time. His speeches are taught in history classes across the U.S, his face is recognizable be almost everyone, and the legacy that he has left behind will never be forgotten.

I believe that Dr. King is such a notable person in our country's history because of his passion during the Civil Rights Movement. Today's youth can identify with this man because he had so much passion. His message was not only "I have a dream," but I have determination. I think that the civil disobedience that Dr. King practiced shows our youth that when they have a dream, or they feel passionate about something, they can make a difference!

His actions during the movement has impacted our youth, by showing them that injustice is not okay, and we have to be the one’s to change it (in a non violent way).

Dr. King is STILL impacting the lives of people today. What he did for civil rights, in my opinion, will be a lasting favor to society. Like Katie said, His "I have a Dream" speech is the face of the civil rights movement.That speech alone will have the lasting affect on civil rights.

Nobody will forget what he did for civil rights, and that is why I believe he will have a lasting impact on peoples lives

Dr. King will always be remembered as one of the great leaders of civil rights activists during the middle of the 20th century. Many of his ideals of passive protesting are still used today by people around the world looking for equal treatment. Although Dr. King died at a very young age, he died knowing he had paved the way for people of African-American decent to receive equal treatment in the United States. For this alone, he will impact humanity forever, and willbe remembered forever.